When Walter Marshall built the Hambleton Hall kitchen garden in the 1880’s he provided a fine infrastructure. High walls on two sides and dense planting on the others. An elegant green house with a giant coal fired boiler and a handsome potting shed. Sadly in recent years the greenhouse has crumbled and the boiler is unaffordable. Nonetheless we have gardened away and gradually discovered a range of produce that makes a difference to our menu.
In general we aim to provide things which are easy or handy to grow or sometimes more exotic items which are generally hard to find. An example of the latter would be courgette flowers or maybe pink fir potatoes.This year we have made a big effort in the kitchen garden to make the whole area more productive and more interesting for guests.
A mighty new fruit cage has been planted with raspberries and currants and a system of raised beds has been constructed. Aaron looks for crab apples in season, (for soufflés or stewed with game,) so we have planted some trees for their beauty and their fruit.
We are strengthening our herb collection and plan to move towards self sufficiency for staples like parsley, chervil, sorrel, thyme, lovage and mint.
We have a handsome new greenhouse which provides a winter home for tender plants and brings on plants for our annual border.
Please take a stroll through the kitchen garden and watch it grow!
